


extragalactic

by quassia



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Crushes, Fluff, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-08 17:37:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14110566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quassia/pseuds/quassia
Summary: Hunk is crushing. Of course he is. It's damned hard to say anything, so he decides he won't. Instead he does every thing he can in his own Hunk way to make Shiro's life easier. He doesn't expect Shiro to notice or anything, it's just because he wants to.(Shiro notices.)





	extragalactic

**Author's Note:**

> mmmmmyyyy other fav voltron ship... CUTE THINGS AHOY
> 
> why am i writing so much pining lately, idk

Shiro had that kind of  _untouchable beauty_.

Maybe  _beauty_  was the wrong word, but that’s the one that stuck in Hunk’s head. Shiro was strong and capable, cool-headed under stress but still kind, so heart-achingly, mind-numbingly kind that Hunk wondered how it survived. Shiro’s been through so much that it’s a wonder he still smiles and laughs and jokes with them all from time to time.

Sure, they call Hunk the  _nice one_ , but  _he_  thought hat Shiro had him beat.

It was probably the kindness that did Hunk in.

Or—or the mentoring. The many hours with Shiro calmly explaining to him just  _how_  to be a pilot, what he needed to remember, the practice drills and the times on the battlefield where Shiro protected them all and saved them all again and again. Saved _him_ again and again. Sometimes it was from themselves, sometimes it was from a real, vicious threat.

Either way, his Super Unhelpful Crush had made itself at home and wasn’t about to leave.

But Hunk entertained absolutely no thoughts of acting on it.

It wasn’t like Shiro was just another person at the Garrison or even, like, a simple friend. Shiro was  _Shiro_ , their leader, their commanding officer. He sometimes envied Keith who was closer to him, close enough to hug him without hesitating or waffling over it, though Hunk was sure Shiro wouldn’t turn him away if he ever asked him for a hug under the pretense of needing one.

He couldn’t work his way up to it.

So instead he resigned himself to having a crush and did other things instead. If he wasn’t going to confess his feelings, he could at least make Shiro’s life easier. His piloting—well, okay, that was a work in progress, so he focused on his specialties instead, what he could do in what he was confident in.

Too many mornings Shiro walked in with dark stains under his eyes but giving the utmost impression of composure and readiness to carry out their missions.

Restless nights, Hunk knew, so he made a point of leaving things out in the kitchen at night. He didn’t even know if Shiro came to the kitchen during nights if he woke up, but he could still leave out things in case he did. An improvised instant hot chocolate, light snacks prepared fresh before Hunk went to bed, little things like that that he could do and it wouldn’t make him hurt for it.

He hoped,  _hoped_  Shiro did get a chance to have some sometimes. He did once wake up and enter the kitchen early one morning before anyone else, just to find things neatly put away and evidence of washed and dried dishes. So, you know, he held a bit of hope.

Hunk was oddly satisfied with these little things. Pitching in a little more here and there so Shiro wasn’t so stressed. Even casually insinuating himself between Lance and Keith at dinnertimes so that they had to argue  _around_  him if they wanted to argue. He thought Shiro noticed that one, thought Shiro had looked his way with the corners of his eyes crinkling like he was repressing a smile.

It could’ve just been his imagination, though.

He’d sneak down to the hangar sometimes and clean up Black, though he wasn’t sure if the lion was super into it. He didn’t put up the force field the lions would, so Hunk hoped that he liked a bit of buff and polish. He carefully attended to any mechanicals he noticed around the castle, tried to find things he could fix or make easier for everyone (but kind of especially Shiro, leave him alone).

And then, when all was said and done, he allowed himself to imagine when he was laying awake at night with too many worrying thoughts buzzing in his head.

He imagined locking his hand with Shiro’s, tangling their fingers together, swinging their hands to make Shiro laugh. He imagined a sandy beach at—evening, because of course at evening. The romantic walk along a beach at sunset was a cliché for a reason, and Hunk had always wanted to do it. He imagined dinner on the beach or, better yet, a homemade dinner by yours truly for just himself and Shiro. He imagined a life besides this one, with a lot less robot cats and a lot more simplicity where the fate of the galaxy wasn’t hanging on them.

He didn’t let himself imagine kissing him, though. He didn’t need to go out the next day and be  _utterly unable to look Shiro in the face_. Hunk was self-aware, he knew what he’d do. He’d blush or he’d cry or both or he’d just sink into the ground and uh _no thanks_. So he kept it simple and romantic and he  _pined_ , oh how he pined until he was worried that his crush wasn’t much of a crush and was getting more into the  _love_  territory.

Could he say that, though? Could he really say he was in love?

No wonder some people sang about love as a sickness.

Hunk was heartsick, that was for sure.

But he did his best  _not to let it show_. He thought Lance noticed, because Lance had a nose for romance like you wouldn’t believe and he harangued Hunk about it in his Lance-y way.

“Who, me? Man, my true loves are food and science, you know that,” Hunk lied. Lance raised an eyebrow which said _I know you buddy and I know you’re lying to my face_  but he jostled Hunk around and groaned petulantly but then let him be.

Hunk was terrified that the moment he told someone else about his unreasonable crush, something bad would happen. Everyone would find out.  _Shiro_  would find out, and he didn’t want that. Right?

Shiro probably didn’t want romance or a relationship. They had, like, the universe to worry about. Zarkon. Everything else. Shiro had enough on his shoulders without Hunk adding to that, even though he was sure he could make him smile. He could surely make him relax, give Shiro a hug that he thought their leader sorely needed at times but could never work up the courage to give him.

Yeah, he was assuming, but they were reasonable assumptions to make!

He thought, anyway.

So long as he could help make Shiro’s life a little easier… that was enough.

Right?

 

* * *

 

Hunk was absolutely  _beat_.

Everyone else had already half-stumbled back to their rooms ages ago and Hunk had gotten halfway there before turning around and going right back to Yellow. He slumped down between the lion’s huge metal paws and leaned against one, helmet between his knees and eyes blank, staring at nothing.

They’d been jumped by a Galra patrol during what should’ve been just a standard flight around a couple of planets.  _Training maneuvers in the field,_  Shiro had said and that was fine, they had done a million of those in the past. They hadn’t seen _them_ until they were on them and Hunk had a moment of terror where one of the fighters was bearing down on his lion, one from either side, and he couldn’t get away and just—

_“Hunk!”_

He could hear Shiro’s shout in his ears still now.

Was he feeling less out of sorts, he would go and check in on the others or he’d be in the kitchen but, honestly, he just wasn’t up to it. Really not up to it at the moment.

So he pressed himself into his lion’s foot and tried to make himself small as Yellow’s soft rumbles of concern vibrated through him. He’d never heard Shiro sound frightened like that, at least for a while, and only now after the fact did it hit him. Yeah, they faced danger every day. Dea—death was a thing that could happen. Hunk  _knew_  but, as it was, sometimes it slipped his mind.

The sound of a door opening brought him out of his thoughts.

Wincing at his sad posture, he scrambled to his feet to attempt a casual lean instead, like he hadn’t been curling up into a ball.

Given that it was  _Shiro_  who walked in, he was glad that he had.

“Hey,” Hunk said with a casual wave. “What brings you to me and Yellow’s spot, Shiro?”

As he got closer, Hunk saw the crease in-between his eyebrows, saw him look Hunk over, quickly taking note that Hunk had yet to remove his armour. Ah, quiznak. He should’ve done that. He still tried for cool and calm and not shaken like he was, focusing instead on warmer feelings.

“I wanted to check in on you,” Shiro said and his voice was just so low and so gentle that Hunk’s heart quavered. “When I checked your room, you weren’t there.”

 _Oh_. Shiro had even gone to his room?

“Well, you know, I just wanted to chill with Yellow for a bit.” Hunk glanced up at his lion, hoping that doing that would distract him from Shiro’s calm but piercing gaze. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure he could deal with Shiro’s kindness at the moment, was afraid the right couple of words from him would just break Hunk down into tears and neither he nor Shiro needed that right now. He knew all he had to do was chill for a bit and then he could face the team tomorrow as the Hunk they knew and expected.

Shiro just had… good timing. Or bad timing, if you would.

“Hunk,” Shiro said and oh, he’d gotten closer without Hunk realising. He reached out to place his human hand on Hunk’s shoulder, gripping lightly. “Are you really okay? It was—” He paused and it was a surprising pause for someone of Shiro’s usual eloquence. “—it was rough out there today. For you, especially.”

“Shiro—”

“Let me walk you back to your room? You’ll feel better when you’re out of armour.”

Hunk wasn’t so sure he could handle his own emotional instability with Shiro’s kindness  _and_  with the overwhelming affection he felt for him. He thought he would say something stupid if he wasn’t careful so he locked his lips tightly together, struggled to compose himself, and nodded.

Shiro’s features relaxed and he smiled, turning and urging Hunk with him.

They walked back the whole way in quiet.

Not that Hunk didn’t try to come up with things to say. Anything. Except the things he  _wanted_  to say were things like  _thank you_ , or  _you’re the greatest person ever and also I have a huge crush on you_  or things he  _should not_  be saying. So he grit his jaw and forced them back and pretended he wasn’t already feeling a little better from Shiro’s support, from the hand that relocated from his shoulder to gently grip his elbow. He could palpably feel his warmth and it was doing painful-good things to his heart and his head.

_‘Deep breaths, Hunk.’_

It took both too long and not long enough for them to get to Hunk’s room. Hunk, still feeling  _off_ , still found it in him to imagine Shiro walking him back to his door after a date. Not good. He was more off than he thought if he was letting those inner desires linger so close, right at the tip of his tongue. He turned to Shiro and smiled weakly.

“Thanks, Shiro. So, uh, I’ll go in and change and chill for a bit—”

“Would you mind if I came in for a few minutes?”

Well, there went that.

Hunk’s mouth flapped but, in the end, he nervously nodded and opened up his room’s door. This was new. Shiro had never asked to come into his room before and he felt a renewed stab of anxiety. Did Shiro have something to talk about? About what happened out there in the battlefield? Had it been an issue or mistake on Hunk’s part? Worse, maybe Shiro was going to kick him off the team—no, Shiro wouldn’t do that.

Shiro wandered in, taking quick account of the room with a glance. He found Hunk’s bed, seated himself on the edge and gazed up at Hunk. His hands interlocked and… was he nervous? He was wringing his hands as Hunk fumbled with his armour for a desperate need to keep himself busy somehow.

“You did well out there today, Hunk,” Shiro said at last, his tone that gentle one that made Hunk’s knees weak. “I’m sorry you were put into that danger today, but you handled it really well.”

 _Oh_ , well, admittedly not what he had been expecting, but… that was nice. Hunk’s emotions felt as though they were beginning to calm and warmth replaced them, so potent he felt worried that some of his adoration of Shiro showed on his face.

“And,” Shiro continued with a soft cough, his fingers covering his lips, “I had something else to talk to you about.”

He patted the space besides him and Hunk sat.

“Fire away,” he said with a smile, trying not to collapse in nervous panic.

“Well…” Shiro actually hesitated and he seemed… pink. His cheeks were certainly pinker than they  _normally_  were. “I wanted to… thank you. For everything lately.”

Hunk’s heart jerked. Nope, it’s cool. Play it cool, Hunk. “What do you mean?” he asked, trying to seem as nonchalant as he could even though he was fidgeting and wringing his hands and oh, jeez.

Shiro looked knowingly at him.

“For the midnight snacks, and… for helping with Keith and Lance, and with tidying the training room and picking up extra work…” Shiro trailed off, seemingly took a bracing breath, and then he reached over to lay his palm over the back of Hunk’s hand. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it, but I never found the chance until now.”

Hunk had gone stiff, his heart in his throat, Shiro’s human hand blazing hot over his own. This didn’t seem real. Maybe he had hit his head out there and he was hallucinating Shiro’s faint flush, the steady but somehow eager way that Shiro looked at him.

The room felt so hot and could this really be real—?

Shiro suddenly pulled back his hand, his eyebrows knitting. “Sorry, I guess I got ahead of myself,” he started and Hunk realised he’d been  _too quiet_ and he moved his hand jerkily to grab Shiro’s. He squeezed his fingers in his own, his breaths shaky and words! He needed words!

“No, uh, definitely not ahead of yourself! I just didn’t think—I mean, I hoped you’d notice but I never did all the stuff thinking you’d notice, I just wanted to do something for you…” Hunk thought he was definitely babbling. He just felt so overwhelmed and flushed. “I mean, I…”

_‘I’m probably in love with you and I really want to look out for you.’_

Shiro’s expression softened and he smiled carefully, shifting his hand to squeeze Hunk’s. “Thank you,” he murmured. “I thought I might’ve been reading things all wrong.”

And then, in a quick movement he couldn’t even follow, Shiro leaned in and kissed him. He cupped Hunk’s cheek in his metal hand and just _kissed_  him like he’d been holding back as long as Hunk had. Had he? Had Hunk just been oblivious this whole time? If so, it definitely wasn’t his fault, Shiro was too straight-faced.

Except  _now_ he remembered Shiro framed in the kitchen door, watching him thoughtfully as Hunk did the dishes, asking only if he could help. And Hunk, naturally, taking into account Shiro’s dark circles told him that  _nah, I’m just about done, you go and relax_. The way Shiro smiled at him, a little wry yet knowing now surfaced in Hunk’s mind.

_‘Did he figure out then about how I was doing all that extra stuff?’_

So much for subtlety.

Shiro pulled back slowly, his hand leaving too with a gentle graze of metal fingers. Hunk, overwhelmed, happy, too many things, toppled forward to press his face into Shiro’s shoulder. He lifted his arms up around him and just melted, sighing contentedly, hugging him like he’d always wanted to, to bundle him up and keep Shiro safe and warm and untouched by the world somehow.

The stress, the residual fear, everything was thoroughly forgotten.


End file.
